Flying discs, intended for throwing and catching are well known throughout the world. A typical example is Headrick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,678. The disc comprises a rim encompassing a contiguous thin central plate. The rim has substantial vertical height and which adds substantial aerodynamic drag. However the rim is required to provide at least some degree of directional stability. Without the rim the disc will veer severely sideways in flight.
Despite their popularity, prior art discs have serious limitations. The three most vexing problems are listed below:
First, the configuration of the rim causes many throwers to launch the disc with wobble. This very common complaint and has driven many people away from the sport.
Second, the flight direction is velocity sensitive. For a right-handed throw, the disc rolls right during the initial part of the flight and rolls left during the final part of the flight. In addition the rate of roll is highly variable due to the type of throw and the velocity and direction of the prevailing winds. This makes it very difficult to throw these discs accurately.
Third, the substantial aerodynamic drag limits flight range and/or requires a strong throw.